1) Our first birth on the farm! Wednesday, a cute baby goat was born. He's black and fuzzy and soooo cute! Right now, he and his mom are in a small pen by themselves, but as soon as they're back out with the others, I'll take more pictures.

2) The first flowers are up! There aren't that many out yet, but the first ones are showing their colors. Spring is coming.

3) It's my birthday! I'm not sure how we're celebrating yet, but that doesn't matter. In a way, I'm a little sad this year (just a tiny bit). The entire past year, I was the answer to life, the universe and everything (at least, according to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), and now, the amazing greatness is gone. Oh well. Off to new possibilities!

And what about you? What wonderful things this past week put a smile on your face? Are the flowers blooming near you? Hear those birds twittering away? Getting ready to paint those Easter eggs? What are you celebrating???

***********

One of the tour companies I work with over on my review blog Bookworm for Kids, is having a special sale. So if you're looking at promoting a book, you might want to check it out. (I find them enjoyable!) If you want more details, go ahead and contact this at sparklebooktours@gmail.com

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Good morning, Wednesday! It's another bright day with massive storms in the forecast, but that's not the point. Today, it's time for another edition of. . . What's Up Wednesday!!!And unfortunately, it's the last. Thanks to the lovely duo, Jaime Morrow and Erin L. Funk, who have kept this hop going and allowed us to share all sorts of things with each other. It was fun, and I'll definitely miss it!

What I'm ReadingI've read more than last week, but then that's not exactly hard. I finished up TAKING ANGELS a YA paranormal romance by C.S. Yelle. It's well written and an easy read, just right for those moments to simply enter another time and space.I'm currently reading ADAMANT by Emma Adams and enjoying it! I'll get back to that one next week.What I'm WritingStill revising, although this last week was a lot slower due to stomach flu issues and such. Kids at home definitely puts a damper on this end.What Works for MeLeaving the laptop on the dining room table open and ready. When life gets busy and full of interruptions, this is the only way I'll get anything done. Then, when I suddenly have a second, I can slide into the chair and type before shooting off to another task or emergency. It doesn't mean a ton of writing time, but even a little is better than none.

What Else I'm Up To

Stomach flu, obviously. But who wants to concentrate on such things?

Saturday was auction day, and although I didn't get the furniture I was hoping for, I found other goodies, including a table and chair set for my patio. Now, when the weather is nice, I can sit outside and sip iced tea.

Sunday we went to the zoo and out to lunch for my daughter's birthday. We had a grand old time.

My parents finally sold their farm and are now in search of a fitting one in this area. We only have two months to find one, so the last day or two have meant a ton of phone time and computer searches. But we're excited.

And last but not least, it's about baby goat time! Yep, our goats are on the verge of bringing new little ones into the world. I spent the day yesterday scrubbing out a special area of the pen so the mommy can have her peace and quiet. As soon as they're born, I'll make sure to post pictures. We've never done this before, so it's an exciting moment.

And what about you? What happened this week? Get a lot of reading done? Did the keyboard smoke from typing speed? Did you finally find your way out of the revision cave? See the first flower? Listen to the birds twitter? What's Up with you????

Monday, March 23, 2015

Usually, I try to stick to writing things surrounding kids (hence the name Kidbits), but every now and then, I can't. Why? Because there are some awesome writer buddies out there, who write other things. So today is about you Mommy's and Pappy's!

A
Change of Mind and Other Storiesconsists
of a novella, four short stories and one flash fiction piece. This collection
puts the extremes of human behaviour under the microscope with the help of
lashings of dark humour, and includes four pieces previously published in Writer’s
Muse magazine.

In
A Change of Mind, Reuben is an office worker so meek and mild he puts up with
daily bullying from his boorish male colleagues as if it’s just a normal part
of his day. But when a stranger points him in the direction of a surgeon
offering a revolutionary new procedure, he can’t pass up the chance to turn his
life around.

But
this isn’t your average surgeon. For a start, he operates alone in a small room
above a mechanic’s. And he promises to alter his patients’ personality so they
can be anything they want to be…

In
Marissa, a man who is determined to find evidence of his girlfriend’s
infidelity ends up wondering if he should have left well alone.

The
Dog Godfinds a chink in the armour
of a man with a megalomaniacal desire to take over the world.

In
The Insomniac, a man who leads an obsessively regimented lifestyle on one
hour’s sleep a night finds a disruption to his routine doesn’t work for him.

Hole
In Onesees a dedicated golfer
achieving a lifelong ambition.

The
Lonerends the collection on a note
of hope as two family members try to rebuild their lives after they are torn
apart by jealousy.

All about Nick Wilford. . .

Nick Wilford is a writer and stay-at-home dad.
Once a journalist, he now makes use of those rare times when the house is quiet
to explore the realms of fiction, with a little freelance editing and
formatting thrown in. When not working, he can usually be found spending time
with his family or cleaning something. Nick is also the editor of Overcoming
Adversity: An Anthology for Andrew. You can find him hanging out on his blogor onGoodreads or Twitter.

1) Fresh baked muffins! My oldest got up at 5:00am yesterday morning to bake muffins. WHY???? Yes, this was a huge question in my mind. He's 17. They sleep in. They don't do things like that. Hmmmm.... He claims that he thought it'd be nice for everyone to wake up to. And he swept my kitchen floor. And he cleaned out my dishwasher. And he washed dishes. And he made me a fresh hot tea the minute I stepped into the kitchen. I am wowed. (And a little part of me is wondering what he's hiding...)

2) Herbs! I picked up several packages of seed this week and can't wait to plant them. I had such a lovely herb garden in Germany...so nice to just go out and pick whatever one needs...so it's time to get that back.

3) Auctions start again!!! Private auctions are a BIG thing around here...I think it's a form of farmer entertainment. Anyway, I have a nice list of things I need (ranging from cabinets, to fencing supplies, to ...well, all sorts of things), and auctions are a great way to get fantastic deals. I'm hoping tomorrow there will be a pot of gold at the end of my rainbow.

And what about you? Are you going to remember to be happy today and smile everywhere you go? What wonderful things happened to you this week???

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Although I haven't been very good about this, but today it's time for another What's Up Wednesday post! This is a weekly hop sponsored by the lovely duo, Jaime Morrow and Erin L. Funk, which helps us writerly/readerly folk to come out of our caves, blink at the bright light of day and touch base with each other.

So, this is what's up with me. . .

What I'm Reading. . .
Not much. I was on a reading high all winter, but the last few weeks have been slow in this area. I read The Crystal Keeper by Laurisa Reyes, which was enjoyable. And I have to start reading The Princess Madeline Trilogy by Kirstin Pulioff - I'm actually looking forward to this one but have to sit my backside down in that chair and do it. See, my reading needs to be forced at that moment. Oh well.

What I'm Writing. . .
This is probably why my reading's in a slump because I am in the revision cave...really deep. I thought this round would be easy, since I'm simply reworking something that's already been revised and I just pulled off the shelf. Ha! But I have a really good feeling about it and love how it's developing.

What works for me. . .
Can I just say my awesome CP group? This is the first time I've worked in a group like this and...wow. Each member (by accident) has a different area they notice things on, and it's simply amazing. But compared to sending out the MS to one or two CPs at a time, it feels like a dump truck unloading on the paper. It's great. Really, I just can't say how awed I am by the input, but it's a heavy load to sort through and get straightened out. One things for sure, this MS is nothing like it once was. My baby's growing up!!!

What else I've been up to. . .
Everything and nothing. At least, that's what it feels like.

This last weekend of warm weather meant the chance to finally straighten out the flower beds a little. I didn't plant anything new. Not yet. But my fingers are itching to. We also had to clean out the barn after having the cows in there during all the ice storms. What a mess!

I was able to put the first coat of paint on one of the rocking chairs I'm refurbishing. It looks so shiny, but no pics until I'm done. Which will be awhile, since I'm weaving the cane seats and backs too. So don't hold your breath yet.

Hubs has been 'laid-off' for a couple of weeks. His company is more seasonal, so it isn't a big surprise. He works 1-2 days a week until end of this month, and then it's back to full time. Having him around is nice, but definitely throws a loop in my routine.

Oh, and I'm working on a new project, something inspired by our library book sale. We have a table of free books, ones with breaking spines or ripped covers. Anyway, I saw a picture somewhere here on the web of paper roses made out of old book pages...and those in a wreath. I looked up the different techniques and, of course, decided on the most time consuming one. So now, my table is filling with roses. Silly? Yep. And perhaps a waste of time (it's not like I don't have other things to do). But one should be silly sometimes. It's good for the soul!

And what about you? Read any good books lately (I could really use some suggestions!)? Are you in the revision cave or out in the freshness of a new draft? Pulling out your hair because of difficult words? Are you planning a garden? (I love garden talk!) What's Up with you???

Friday, March 13, 2015

It's Friday again and time for this great hop - Celebrate the Small Things!!! And the purpose of it is simply to put a smile on our faces. So many little things happen every week which make us smile, but then we forget them. Not anymore, thanks to Lexa Cain and her wonderful helpers.

1) Warm weather! It hit 80 degrees on Wednesday and it was beautiful. Okay, the rest of the week has been more in the lower 60's, but Spring is definitely on it's way. And with the warmer weather, we had our first visitors.

This cute little guy (a possum) was in our chicken coop!!! Luckily, he was more scared of my kids all trying to peek through the windows and doors then he was interested in trying to get the chickens. My oldest son wanted to 'chase' the possum out, so while he got a broom handle, he locked all the doors with possum and three chickens inside. Afterwards, my son and I sat down for a talk about how it might not be the best idea to close the predator in with the prey.

Yep, you guessed it. This is an armadillo. The things are cute, but a royal pain in the neck...and everywhere (worse than rabbits). Oh, and did you know they are the only mammal to carry leprosy? Yep, even here in the U.S. So no touch!

2) The Friends of the Library book sale! For a small town (only 4,000), we did great and earned over $1200 for new books in three days. More reading for me...*cough* I mean others.

3) Mud! *ssshhhhh* (This isn't something my hubs should hear. He's a gentle soul.) But now that all of the ice and snow has melted, our small dirt road has some pretty awesome *cough*...yes, awesome mud areas! My four-wheel beast (that's what I call my suburban with this great lift kit *manly grrrr*) and I have been having a little fun.

Oh, and if you have a second.... and if you've always dreamed that your grandma was a ninja. . .then head over to Bookworm for Kids to see this great new picture book for kids. Maybe I'm signing up for ninja classes soon. Wait. Change that. I want to be a Grandma ninja. Training starts today!

And what about you? What has put a smile on your face this past week? See a butterfly yet? Get to dance in the rain? Did you buy yourself that pair of shoes you always wanted to have? Or maybe you're getting your motorcycle ready for the season? What are you celebrating????

Three more snow days for the kids!!! My son commented a few weeks ago that all of these snow days are like another Christmas break. Well, he was wrong. It's slowly turning into an entire summer vacation! (Not quite, but we're having fun.)

My writing muse drank several cups of coffee! Okay, I don't know if she really did (or he???) BUT this last week has been a writing frenzy and inspiration has sprouted wings. The muse must be on a caffeine high.

Bluebirds in the hay barn! While getting a wheelbarrow load of firewood from our hay barn (it's multi-functional), I looked up to see five bluebirds perched on a larger branch we still need to chop up. So pretty!

I'm also celebrating the release of my writer buddy's newest book:

It's a sweet romance for these last (notice, I said LAST) days of snow and cold.

Head on over to my parallel blog, Bookworm for Kids, to see my review and all the other goodies about this amazing book,

YAY, CLARA!!!!!

And what about you? What wonderful things are you celebrating this week? Find a fluffy, warm blanket? See a new flavor of chocolate that you've been dying to try? Find a penny on the parking lot?
What put a smile on your face????

This month, I'm not feeling overly insecure or secure. More of a float in the middle. In other words, I'm working on the final rounds (notice round'S') of revisions before sending my next manuscript off into the world.

I think this quote from Larry King sums up my current attitude best:

“Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting, read. I know of no shortcuts.”

—Larry L. King, WD

Writing is work. There are precious moments where it is exciting and adventurous, but often, it's just sitting down and doing the work.

Bookworm for Kids Presents:

My Bookworm's Weekly Menu

Hi!

Chaotic, spontaneous, adventurous, and full of surprises. Mix it with my four kids, a small farm and tons of writing - oh and don't forget an ample amount of chocolate and a cup of jasmine tea! And you've got me.